PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jacob Brooks on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
4:19:17
·
90 sec
Jacob Brooks, a member of the public, testifies in support of the City of Yes proposal, emphasizing the need for more housing to address high rents and other urban issues. He argues that building more housing can help combat climate change, reduce gentrification, and create a more inclusive city.
- Brooks dismisses concerns about preserving neighborhood character, parking, and infrastructure as obstacles to necessary housing development.
- He emphasizes that New York City's public transportation reduces the need for parking.
- Brooks urges the city to overcome fear of change and envision a future with enough housing for everyone.
Jacob Brooks
4:19:17
Hello.
4:19:17
My name is Jacob Brooks.
4:19:19
Nobody.
4:19:20
I just live here.
4:19:21
I'm testifying in support of city of yes.
4:19:24
1st and foremost, the rent is too damn high.
4:19:26
I won't dwell on that.
4:19:27
We all know our money is better spent elsewhere.
4:19:29
The only cities in America where rent hikes have slowed or rents have climb or cities that have built warehousing.
4:19:35
Many issues that New York are concerned about are also addressed, fly building warehousing, climate change, thanks to walkability, public transport, and economies of scale, urban living is dramatically dramatically reduced individual emissions versus suburban and rural living.
4:19:48
If we're worried about climate change, we should be striving to make urban living the affordable option, not the most expensive.
4:19:54
Fears of gentrification.
4:19:55
Gentrification happens because new residents compete with existing residents for older limited housing stock.
4:20:00
If we're able to say yes to more housing, we can build a city that's big enough for all of us.
4:20:04
Today, I've heard nebulous concerns over preserving neighborhood character and aesthetics.
4:20:08
I say if your neighborhood character demands regulations that keeps rents high and makes housing unaffordable, then your character is elitist and exclusion narrowing.
4:20:16
I've heard concerns over parking and where will new residents park.
4:20:19
I have good news for you.
4:20:20
You're in New York.
4:20:21
They don't need parking.
4:20:22
They can take the train or the bus for the rest of us.
4:20:24
I've heard complaints about infrastructure.
4:20:26
We don't have enough infrastructure that's not a justification to not build housing.
4:20:30
It's an impetus to build more infrastructure.
4:20:32
For years, we've let the perfect BD enemy to good, and out of fear of change, we have empowered naysayers.
4:20:38
I say we have to remember that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself and envision the future where the city is big enough for all of us.
4:20:44
New York needs to be able to say yes to a better future.
